The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1887-11-29
CENTRAL UNION CHURCH.


Union Church and st. Andrews
Cathedral.
CENTRAL UNION CHURCH.
The platform and choir gallery of
Central Union Church were beauti-
fully decorated for the occasion with
floral emblems and combinations of
flowers and foliage. There was Il large
choir, whose singing of anthems and
leading of the congregational praise
service were delightful.
His EXcellency George w. Merrill,
United States Minister Resident, and
Mrs. Merrill, accompanied by Princess
kaiulani, and Governor DOminis, be-
sides many prominent American citi
zens, were among goodly audience,
in which the fair sex predOminated.
The services opened by the choir
singing the doxology, "Praise God
from whom all blessings fiow.n
Rev. Serene f. Bishop offered
prayer, and read from the 65th and
9th Psalms.
The choir sung the anthem, 1--WE
Praise Thee, o Godw
Rev. c. NJ. Hyde offered prayer of
Thanksgiving.
Hymn - was sung by choir and
congregation standing:
Lord God of Hosts, by all adored.
Thy name we praise with one accord;
The heavens are full of thee,
Thy light, thy love, thy majesty.
Rev. Z. G. Beckwith, D. D., an
nOunced as his text Psalm 67:5: Let
the people praise thee, Q Lord: let all
the people praise thee" He spoke of
the frequent gatherings of the Hebrew
nation for purposes of thanksgiving,
which tended to promote national
union among that people and was one
of the causes producing their remark
able pride of race and continuity as a
distinct nationality from the remote
ages. The United States had adopted
this festival of Thanksgiving and their
Minister Resident had called on citi-
Zens in this foreign land TO observe it.
If they kept the day appropriately they
should do so in some sort rs they do at
home. First they should have an
abundant and joyous feast of good
things. Indulgence in pleasures of the
table was not To be treated as the graft
fication merely of animalappetites. The
tastes of the lower animals were very
limited, while the woods and fields
were full of thousands of fruits that
delighted man. Give the dog its bone
and it was content, but would turn
away from the most luscious fruit.
Varied wants characterized high civil
ization. II could not be expected that
Il nation could be highly civilized or
very moral on potatoes or poi. There
fore, heap the table high for this festi-
val. The boy was never so thankful
rs when he sat down TO his Thanks
giving dinner. piled so high that he
could not see over it. Relatives and
friends, particularly the aged, should
be invited to the feast. Have grand
grandmother there. Let the
dav he one TO cultivate home feeling.
If the bows must be lured out into the
world in pursuit of fortune, at least let
them always carry with them the
home feeling They could never have
the New England morality here in
these islands until they had the New
England homes first. The browning
BENSON among other blessings of the
year to those whose lot was cast here
was the requirement of the privileges
Of government by the people. The /
preacher closed by enumerating mate 7
rial and spiritual blessings enjoyed by
here and in the fatherland
Turing the now closing year.
Hymn 100 was sung by the choir
and congregation
Thank and praise Jehovah's name;
For His mercies firm and sure,
From eternity the same,
To eternity endure.
Let the ransOmei thus rejoice,
Gathered out vi every land,
As the people of His cboice,
PIucked from the destroyer's baud.
DIR. Beckwith dismissed the eOngre-
cation with the benediction.